ARKANSAS (KFSM) -- Harps Food Store's announced on Wednesday (June 8) they will be taking over nine former Walmart Express Stores that were closed earlier this year.
Six of the new acquisitions are located in Arkansas, according to a Harps press release. Harps will own the former Walmart Express stores in Gravette, Gentry, Prairie Grove, Cedarville, Mansfield and Charleston. In Missouri, Harps will own the Anderson, Seligman and Noel stores.
Harps, which is based out of Springdale, will finalize the deal toward the end of June.
Plans for store openings won't be released until the acquisition is complete.
A Harps representative would not confirm or deny that Harps would go into the former Walmart Expresses.
In Gentry, Harps began construction on a more than 24,000 square foot store in the former location of Marvin's.
Gentry has been without a grocery store since the closing of the Walmart Express.
"It was pretty devastating to some, especially some of our elderly, some that don't have the ability to travel very far," said Kevin Johnston. "It's been a pretty good inconvenience for them."
Other than a local health food store that started selling produce, mayor Kevin Johnston said there are few options except to drive to surrounding cities.
"It's a pretty big impact even if you take Walmart out of the equation, because this period of time we've been without a grocery store is the longest time that Gentry has ever been without a grocery store," he said. "There were times when we've had four grocery stores in town at one time. Too my knowledge, we've always had a grocery store here."
The Gentry Harps is set to open at the end of September.